African American Women in Law Enforcement

This literature review analyzes the problem of underrepresentation of women in top executive positions in law enforcement in the state of Georgia. The study will provide an analysis of the gaps, trends and various occurring problems both in the past and currently regarding how African American Women have been underrepresented in law enforcement agencies. History of the Black women in these job positions will be addressed providing a comparison with their white women and men in general occupying these positions. Historical perspective will trace back these issues from the period of 1900. Also discussed is how diversity at the work place has affected AAW and their performance. Specific concern will be placed on how race and gender have been a hindering factor to their performance. A major issue that affects law enforcement agencies has been the glass ceiling and how over time has been used to hinder AAW at work place. The paper deeply analyzes challenges and various barriers that face women from obtaining promotions of executive positions in law enforcement.

Berg and Budnick (1986) stated that there has been a steady increase of “black” women in the law enforcement departments in the past 20 year but they are still struggling to be recruited in the law enforcement parallels. Under-presentation of not only a woman but a black woman in top executive positions in law enforcement greatly triggers two main factors contributing to the challenges they face: gender and racism rather gendered racism. This has frustrated a lot of the black women population whom were willing to contribute to the law enforcement department as it is evident when only 2 percent of the sworn law enforcement personnel before 1970s where women. This was majorly linked to the culture of white working-class.